


If Peter Had A Sister

by canadianBwithanITCH



Series: OC Marauders era [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22476556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadianBwithanITCH/pseuds/canadianBwithanITCH
Summary: In Azaria's first year at Hogwarts, we follow the marauders and watch how having her around changes the game. In this fic, The Marauders are in their second year, and Azaria and Peter are muggleborns. Will Azaria's presence change everything? Nothing? Save some but not others? Read to find out.*Don't kill me I swear this description will get better with time. I'm just awful at them and stuff...
Series: OC Marauders era [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1617154





	1. Intro to the WW

Azaria Pettigrew was excited to wake up. Unlike normal, when she would sleep in until her mother had to drag her out of bed. But last December, while her brother Peter was home for the holidays (including her New Year's Eve birthday) she finally started showing obvious accidental magic. She was eleven, then, so it had been happening for years in various tiny ways, but on her eleventh birthday, she duplicated her cake by accident because she thought it was too small. Then, three weeks ago, she got a letter from Hogwarts just like her brother. Azaria was thrilled. Ten months without her big brother had been torture, except of course the many owl-post letters that detailed his studies and his friends and their pranks and the _houses_. Now she gets to go with him. Hogwarts sounded amazing, and as much as Azaria loved her parents, being muggle just sounded so dull to her now that she was a wizard. 

Today, Azaria was excited to wake up because her parents were taking them to Peter's wizard friend's house. From there, Peter and she would be given enough muggle coin to exchange into wizard money for their school things, and then they would go home and wait to hear that their children were safely in Hogwarts. Peter’s wizard friends would care for them for the remaining week until departure. When Azaria's eyes blinked open at 7 AM before her brother and parents were awake, she got herself ready and made herself a bowl of hot cereal. She was halfway through when Peter came downstairs and her parents followed shortly. She was the only one dressed. 

Everyone finished eating and Azaria waited until her parents and Peter returned in clothes before she put her shoes on. Peter and she scrambled out the door together, both rather uncoordinated and tripping over themselves. Azaria managed to right herself with the door handle, and she wasn’t sure what Peter had done, but he didn’t look happy when they made eye contact through the back windows. 

Their father had the keys and he traipsed to the car in a lazy morning pace, and unlocked the siblings' doors before unlocking his own and stretched over the centre console to unlock his wife’s. He buckled in and waited, watching the rear-view mirror, for Azaria and Peter to do the same. He turned the car on and off he went in the direction of Potter Manor. 

Azaria grinned from ear to ear the entire way there. Knowing she would soon be surrounded by magic and wouldn’t need to do as many things by herself. She was excited to meet someone she heard about in most of Peter’s letters: James. He sounded like a wonderful friend and she wanted to be his friend too. She wanted to see the pranks that Peter and his friends pulled. She wanted to join in on their hatred of the house Slytherin. 

She and Peter played strange versions of car games. Starting with I Spy, morphing it to what’s not there, then playing the silent game and bursting into childish giggles after mere moments.

When they finally came upon the Potter Manor, Peter jumped from his seat to dash to his friend who waited for him on the doorstep. Azaria hung back, watching the interaction with anxious anticipation. Her parents grabbed their small suitcases and started up a concrete path that Azaria had only just noticed. The front door opened and two kind looking older faces popped out. This gave her the push she needed to walk up the path too. 

“Hello dear,” said the woman. James’ mother. “I’m Euphemia, but you are welcome to call me Effie.”

Azaria smiled at her and waved from her spot, unsure of herself. 

The man next to Effie looked down at her, grinning. “I’m Fleamont, but I would love it if you’d call me Monty. Welcome to the Potter Manor young lady. If I may ask your name?” 

Azaria opened her mouth and struggled at first to speak. People she’s never met before are a little intimidating. “Uh, I’m Azaria, Peter’s sister.” 

Effie came forward to hug Azaria. “Oh, what a lovely name. Well, shall we settle you both in for your stay?” 

Peter and James came up to the door then. Their dad gave Peter his bag, and their mom gave Azaria hers. 

“How much should we leave them with for their shopping?” asked their father. 

Monty tapped his chin with a wrinkled knuckle. “I think about two hundred each of your currency should do, and if there are any extra fees atop that we don’t mind covering it in the slightest.” 

Their mother, having brought more than enough cash, handed what they needed to Monty for safekeeping. “thank you both for taking them, I feel bad that we aren’t wizards ourselves, so we can’t be much use in your world. 

“Quite alright you two, James wanted to do it the moment we received your letter, and as our only child I have no objections to letting him have friends here,” Effie says smiling again. 

Azaria was still rather unsure. Effie had said friends, but she had never met James, only heard about him in letters and over the summer. 

“Would you both like to stay for a while for some tea?” Monty asked after a beat. 

Her mother shook her head. “Unfortunately, we have to go to work soon. Our bosses gave us the morning off for this but we must be in our chairs by noon and it’s already ten.” 

Monty and Effie nodded in understanding, ushering the children inside and for James to show Azaria and Peter where they’d be sleeping. 

“Have a safe trip,” they said together, waving. 

Azaria's mother gave one mildly worried look towards the elegant home before nodding to her Husband, and they waved and walked back to their car, driving away. 

Once inside, Azaria got a good look around. The Potter's home was much bigger than her own. The ceilings higher, and there were so many rooms on the first floor alone. The hallway itself to the front door was more of a foyer than a hallway, and everything was immaculately clean. The walls were a pale creamy colour, and the floors a shining dark hardwood. She took her shoes off at a shoe rack with nothing out of place and was about to look for a spot she could leave her coat when she heard a pop. 

Suddenly a short creature with tawny, wrinkled skin and massive ears and huge green eyes was in front of her. “Bobbi can take Miss' coat if she likes.” 

Azaria stood frozen with her coat half shrugged off. Mouth open, eyes bulging. She had no idea how to respond to the house-elf in front of her. Peter was off somewhere with James already, so she didn’t have her brother to look to for help. 

“Hello, Bobbi!” Effie's kind voice sounded nearby, “Azaria is new to the wizarding world. Sweetie, this is the family house-elf, Bobbi, she’s really nice and is here to help us.” 

Bobbi took a deep bow, almost with her nose to the floor. Azaria looked the house-elf over, now over her shock. The small thing was wearing a smock that looked like it was made of a pretty patterned tea towel. 

Azaria shakes her head and shrugs her coat the rest of the way off. “Thanks, Bobbi, I’d appreciate if you’d show me where to put it?” 

The house-elf nods eagerly and takes the coat and goes to a closet door off to the side. “It’ll be right here for you miss Azaria.” 

“Thank you,” Azaria says, and looks up at Effie and Monty, unsure of what to do or where to go next. 

Monty rests a hand on her shoulder and points with the other. “James' room is up the stairs and the second door on the left. I bet the boys went there.”

Azaria smiled in thanks and walked as quietly as she could up the flight of stairs ahead of her, staring at an ornate chandelier and _moving paintings._ She had to stop midstep for a few minutes and stare at a painting of someone who looked similar to Monty. The painting waved at her and she nearly stumbled on the spot but she decided to stare at it and creep up the rest of the stairs backwards. 

Out of sight of the painting, she knocked on James' door which opened with a grinning James on the other side. “Hi, Azaria!” 

“Uh hi.” The painting made her anxious. Not that she hadn’t heard of the various kinds of magic present in this world, she had, but being face to face with it was something else. 

“Come in, I was just about to show Peter some stuff.” 

Azaria comes into the room and as soon as her eyes had found her brother, she was sitting next to him. She leaned into him for comfort and stared over at James. 

“So, since you guys are muggle-born, you can’t do magic at home, and there’s no magic to observe either. Which sucks for you guys because that leaves you out of touch over the Summer, and a rather late introduction to magic for you Azaria.” 

“Yeah, I mean the painting and your elf really spooked me. Peter told me about these things but…” Peter tucked her under his arm. 

James laughed, “I wasn’t sure how you’d take those. Good to know. So Peter. Remember at school how much I liked flying?”

Peter nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, James you’re so good at it! I bet you’ll make the team this year, and Sirius too!”

“That’s the plan, Peter. Anyways, I talked my parents into buying me…” James puts his hand over an open chest, palm down and hand open, “Up.”

“This!” he says with glee as a sleek, shiny broom that looked to Azaria like it would be useless for sweeping.

She blinked at it a few times, blinked at her brother, then blinked at James. “huh?”

“This is what we wizards use to fly! Didn’t Peter tell you anything about the flying lessons at Hogwarts?” James grins brightly at the thing.

“Of course, he mentioned flying! But Peter didn’t say with brooms, he just said that he sucked at it and that he never wants to do more than hover anymore.” James barked with laughter as Peter’s visible flesh went red with embarrassment. 

James put his broom away, and then went through a bunch of his magical toys and explained a few more things that Azaria would see throughout the house, so she wouldn’t get as nervous around them. Especially the portraits. 

James told her about the ones at Hogwarts and how they could be incredibly helpful with directions when she may need them, and about the passworded door-portraits into each of the house common rooms. 

As the sun began to set, the trio came to realize that they had missed lunch and trampled each other down the stairs to see if anything was available for dinner. Though James had explained to Azaria that even if there wasn’t, their house-elf was fast and made amazing food. 

James’ foot barely touched the bottom of the staircase –first of course— before Bobbi popped right in front of them. 

“Bobbi was just about to fetch you all, young master Potter! Bobbi has made dinner extra filling since yous three missed your lunches. Master and Missus await you in the dining room.” With that, Bobbi popped away once again. Though it still frightened Azaria, her reaction wasn’t nearly as physical as the first time. 

On the table was a beautiful chicken, roasted to perfection, peas, carrots, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, it was practically a thanksgiving feast! Azaria’s eyes grew wide at all of this. She and Peter see this much food, this type of food on holidays only. 

“Today isn’t a holiday I’ve forgotten is it?” she asked quietly, shaking where she stood.

Peter grabbed her hand, hoping to calm her nerves just a little bit.

Effie smiles warmly at her, “no dear, as a well-respected long line of wizards, we eat rather lavishly. Would you like a little history lesson on our families?”

The children settle into the three open seats with a plate in front of them, as Azaria thinks about her answer. 

“I’m sorry Mrs Potter, but I think that I’ve had a bit of an intro-to-magic information overload today. Hopefully, I’ll get over it and be able to focus on school you know? But I’m worried.”

Everyone loads up their plates, Azaria with more chicken than veggies and a hefty helping of delicious-looking gravy. 

“You always worry Zar,” peter says through a mouthful. “Assuming you’ll be in our house, I’ll make sure you’re okay. And Remus is really smart so you can study with him to make sure that isn’t overwhelming too.”

This made Azaria’s heart rate pick up and she stares at the adults in the room with tears on the edges of her eyes. “What if I’m not in Gryffindor? What are the other houses like? Peter, will you hate me if I’m not in Gryffindor?”

“Well, none of the houses are outright bad. Slytherin has a terrible reputation, but Effie’s family is a long line of Slytherins until Sirius got sorted last year. My family has always been an awful lot of Gryffindors.” Monty speaks up first, a reminiscent look taking over his eyes.

“That’s right dear, and my brother, the head of the house of Black married a Hufflepuff.”

Azaria swallows her bite before speaking again, “so why do the boys hate the Slytherins so much?”

James starts speaking loudly before his mother gives him a withering look. “James Potter, not at the dinner table. The boys will probably tell you sooner than I’d like, but honestly dear make that decision for yourself when it comes time.”

Her stomach had started to ache, but with Effie’s words it settled quickly, and Azaria finished dinner with little more anxieties. 

“Alright you three,” Monty says, as James finishes the last bite of a pumpkin pasty. “Time for bed. You don’t have to wake up early, but once everyone is up and ready we will head into Diagon alley to get the school shopping done. Bobbi!”

Bobbi pops into the room and bows lowly at her master. “What does Master Potter wish for sir? Bobbi is happy to help.”

“Could you show Azaria to the room we had you set up Bobbi?”

“Bobbi would love to sir! Follow Bobbi Miss Azaria.” Bobbi held out a bony hand and Azaria cautiously took it. 

Remembering her reaction from earlier, Bobbi simply walked them upstairs rather than apparating so she doesn’t scare her anymore.

They come to a stop outside a door two down and across from James’ room. “Sleep well, Ms Azaria.”

She sighs and opens the door. Inside, the bedroom is a pale-yellow colour with immaculate furniture and an overhead lamp that looked like it’s dusted on the daily. 

The covers on the bed are a slightly darker yellow than the walls, and as she gets under them after getting into her pyjamas, she realizes that leaving the bed in the morning will be a difficult task due to comfort. 

She falls asleep almost instantaneously.


	2. Wand Difficulties

The next morning Azaria blinked her eyes open, awake but disoriented as she comes to the realization that she is in fact not in her own bed. Examining the room closer than she had the night before, she takes note of the mahogany coloured furniture, a stark contrast to all the shades of yellow. She spots her bag on the leather storage bench at the end of the bed, and she gets up to grab a change of clothes and start her day only to notice there’s nothing in the bag.

  
Feeling slightly violated by the invasion of her belonging, Azaria looks about the room, opening all the drawers a little frantically until she comes to the dresser across from her bed. Everything was neatly put away in the drawers the same way she made them at home.

  
She quickly changed into a brightly coloured Summer dress before calling for Bobbi as the Potters had done the day before.

  
With a loud pop in the air, Bobbi appeared before her with a low sweeping bow. “What can Bobbi assist with young Ms. Pettigrew?”

  
Stunned by the magic of the situation once again, Azaria stuttered over letters as her brain remembered them, eyes wide.  
“I just wanted to ask about my clothes. Uh, did someone go through them to put them away in my sleep?”

  
Bobbi shook her little elf head, ears flopping, “no miss Pettigrew, the magic within the Potter household merely set things up for you the way it thought you would be most comfortable.”

  
Azaria made an audible oh sound, and then smiled at the elf.

  
“Would you show me downstairs then? I’m awful anxious about the day and the sooner I eat the better.”

  
Bobbi nodded and grabbed onto Azaria’s hand, walking out into the hallway and down the stairs to the kitchen rather than apparating as she would have done otherwise.

  
The house elf sets her up with some toast and butter along with a glass of water while they wait for the others to rise, and Azaria only stares at the magical devices of the kitchen for fifteen minutes before the Lord and Lady of house Potter make their way downstairs.

  
They sit at their ends of the table, and accept steaming mugs from Bobbi before she takes off to prepare their breakfast.

  
A few more minutes pass as the adults take their first sips of the hot looking substance before they set down their mugs in tandem and turn to Azaria.  
“Good morning dear,” Euphemia says with a sleepy smile. “I hope you slept well.”

  
Azaria nodded enthusiastically. “The bed was incredibly comfy. I’m only up so early because I’m anxious about the day. Peter says that it’s really busy where we’re going.”

  
The excitement of yesterday had mostly waned, morphing to anxiety. The Potter parents could see this, so they mentally planned out the day in the least overwhelming way possible for the girl.

  
The three finish their food and drinks and move off into an adjacent sitting room, where the potters explain some of the basics of the alley as well as show off -slowly- some of the magical features of their home so she wouldn’t be as surprised again.

They took the time to get her used to her new environment, something she wasn’t expecting, it helped greatly in building a bond that would be lifelong for her and her brother’s friend’s parents. She was watching them transfigure objects around them -a pincushion to a porcupine for example- when James and Peter came ambling down the stairs, almost roughhousing.

  
Her brother and James stuffed their faces quickly before joining the trio in the sitting room.

  
Euphemia stood from her seat to gesture grandly at their fireplace for Azaria. “We explained this to you already, but I really must reiterate our words dear. It’s easiest for us, with a group this big, to travel by floo. There are, of course, other ways of travel and we can try those with you on another day but for now it’s what we’ll do. Monty will go first to demonstrate for you.”

  
Monty nodded, and stood from his spot as well. As he took a pinch of greyish green powder from a pot sitting on the mantle, he turned back to Azaria with a smile, “it’s simple really dear. Speak clearly, as in enunciate your syllables, and close your eyes so you don’t get sick.”

  
With that Monty stepped into the fireplace, tossed the powder to his feet and said “Diagon Alley” as clearly as he could. The flames he stood on turned a brilliant green, engulfing him before they went back to normal, and he was gone.

  
Azaria instinctively reached out for and tightly grasped Peter’s nearby hand.

  
“It’ll be okay, you’ll see. It’s kinda fun. Honestly Zar.” James went next, and Peter tugged her closer.

  
Once James’ flames died down Peter had to tug his hand away from his sisters to take his own turn. When he stepped into the Potter’s fireplace, he grinned at her and said the words and disappeared too.

  
She looked up at the last Potter, giving her a bit of a scared look. “It’ll be okay Effie?” she asked.

  
Effie nodded and came forward with the eleven-year-old, bringing the pot down from the mantle for her to grab from, as she’s rather short.  
She took a small fistful of the powder and turned around, looking at Effie once again for reassurance. The mother smiled, urging her on once again.  
“Diagon Alley.”

  
The powder was dropped and green flames that did not hurt her engulfed Azaria. She lurched with the forced movement of the floo network and nearly forgot to close her eyes as she began to feel dizzy. She managed to shut them however, and seconds later she tumbled out of the floo connection at the leaky cauldron.

  
Hands that felt like her brothers caught her shoulders and steadied her. She held her eyes tightly shut for several more seconds until she heard the woosh of Effie coming through. With their group complete, she blinked several times before looking around at the old pub. There was people everywhere, making the feeling of claustrophobia begin to build in her chest. Clinging tightly to Peter, the three children followed Lord and Lady Potter to the back of the place, where a large gathering of wizards and witches in robes were haphazardly trying to push their way into Diagon Alley.

  
With Monty in the lead, the group grabs each other’s hands to push/pull their way through the crowd. The mass begins to thin out as they approach Gringotts, not by much, but enough that Azaria could breathe at least a little better than inside the pub. Effie stood back and gave her a brief history lesson on the place while Monty exchanged the Pettigrew’s muggle money.

  
He came back and gave half the sum each to the siblings.

  
“You both can use that as spending money today. Effie and I will cover your school supplies costs.” The two children grinned happily at him and pocketed the small weightless sacks that he came over with. Azaria just then noticed he and Effie were both carrying similar sacks, though theirs were embroidered and bigger.

  
James protested not getting his own spending money for the day, pestering his parents until his father sighed and handed him a sack that he’d clearly been hiding. It was similar to Azaria and Peter’s, but his had the same embroidering as Effie and Monty’s did.

  
“Our first stop will be your wand dear, as it’s the divergent store of our stops today.” Effie smiled down at the girl, pointing in the direction of Ollivander’s. Azaria’s eyes flared in excitement and she bounced on the spot a second before following along, grasping onto her brother tightly.

  
Once inside, Azaria was surprised to find the shop empty. No shop keeper or customers in sight. Until she heard a stack of something tumble in the back, and a graying man that looked over excitable came to the front, frazzled.

  
“Oh the Potters, how lovely to see you! And mister Pettigrew… how’s your wand faring you? It was Chestnut, dragon heartstring and nine and one quarter inches correct? A rigid wand.”

  
Peter broke out into a wide grin, nodding and brandishing his wand for the old wand maker to see. Ollivander nodded and turned to James. “And yours young mister Potter? Found it on the first try I believe, mahogany, eleven inches, flexible, your wand core though… unicorn hair?”

  
James shows off his own wand, doing a spin to show it off.

  
“Now it’s the youngest Pettigrew’s turn. Two muggle born students to one family eh? Now let’s get started.”

  
Ollivander lets his magical tape measure fly, and it takes several measurements of her arm and hand and finger, and wrist before he wanders off into his stacks of wands. The thing had started pointlessly measuring the length of her cheekbones when Ollivander came back with a small armful.

  
He summoned it back to his hand, and he pocketed it before he laid three wands out.

  
“I think these three are likely partners for you miss Pettigrew. Start with this one, similar to your brother’s it’s Alderwood, unicorn hair, twelve and two third inches. A rather snapable wand.”

  
Azaria reached out a wrapped her fingers around the grip. Nothing happened and after a tense second or so, Ollivander urged her to pick up the next one, “here, this one is Black Walnut, thirteen inches exactly and also unicorn hair.”

  
She picks this one up and near instantaneously the wand burned her hand. She shrieked, dropping it onto the countertop and jumped back towards Peter. Effie grabbed onto her hand and did a quick healing charm before encouraging her back.

  
“Okay, definitely not that one. Perhaps the third try is the charm? Dogwood, ten and a half inches with a dragon heartstring core.”

  
Azaria cautiously took hold of this wand, and it, like the first did not respond to her.

  
“No matter, I don’t believe the others I brought up with me will be a good fit either, I shall be right back miss Pettigrew, and this time it will be with your wand.”  
Nine wands later, Azaria wasn’t so sure.

  
“The more wands it takes to find your match, miss Pettigrew,” Ollivander says with an old knowledge behind his eyes, “I have another idea. I wasn’t sure, but I think this next one ought to be it.”

  
Ollivander once again wanders off, and comes shooting back to the front on his moving ladder several minutes later. He comes back to the counter and sets down a single wand box.

  
“Willow, thirteen- and three-quarter inches, phoenix feather core. This one is quite bendy and many healers have this wand wood, though there are plenty in other professions too. Go on, give this one a flick.”

  
Azaria picked up quickly, expecting another dud. As her fingers closed around this one’s hilt however, a rainbow of sparks came from the tip as if she’d just lit a particularly powerful sparkler.

  
“Aha. A perfect match. I should have guessed from the beginning miss Pettigrew. The owner of a Willow wand has great potential in the wizarding world.”

  
Effie grinned, and reached into her sack to grab the galleons needed to purchase the wand as well as a few accessories (a holster and a cleaning kit.) They exit the shop with Azaria distractedly marveling at her wand, as they head in the direction of Madam Malkin’s for their robes.

  
The group files into the dress-shop taking care to keep Azaria from walking into things. They come to a stop and she sheepishly looks up and around at her surroundings. “I’m sorry it took me so long to find a wand…” she said to them, her voice small.

  
“No worries Zar, as old Ollivander says, ‘the wand chooses the wizard.’ I bet if that one wasn’t in the shop, one of the ones that didn’t react at all probably would have picked you.” Peter meant to console his sister, but she really only felt worse, of her own will, for taking so long.

  
Their time at the clothes shop seemed to last an equal amount of time in making all three of the school children’s sets of robes as her time in trying to find her wand, but after this, they paused for ice-cream at Florean Fortescue’s. Peter and her got to use their galleons for this, and they were both quite excited to handle the wizarding money.

  
After their snack, they split ways to make the best use of their time. The boys went off to purchase everyone’s potions supplies, while the girls went the Flourish and Blotts to get everyone’s texts for the year. Once all the core items were collected, the group met back up and purchased the rest of the necessary items as well as a few optional knickknacks.

  
As a second-year student, James could try out for the Quidditch team, and he talked his parents into buying him the previous years’ top of the line broom.

  
Something that the siblings had previously discussed with their parents was a pet. As muggles, they didn’t particularly want an owl in their home, but thought that cats would be nice companions both at home and during the school year. Their final stop of the day was to pick out a kitten each, as last year Peter had declined, wanting to get one at the same time as his little sister. James of course already had an owl.

  
They approached the last shop of the day, and immediately found this pen full of kittens, open to the public to interact with. Azaria and Peter sat down in the pen, letting the kittens come to them.

  
They swarmed Azaria, one after the other climbing all over her, playing around, trying to get all of her attention. One excitable calico however went straight for Peter. It latched on to his sweater sleeve and would not let go. It’s male, five months old and neutered. Peter brought him out of the pen and to the clerk of the store, where they gathered all the necessary things and paid for them. Waiting for his sister.

  
Slowly, the kittens moved on to other arriving young witches and wizards until three remained. A calico like Peter’s, a pure white bean, and the smallest of the litter, a grey tabby female. Also five months old and spayed. she picked the tabby.

  
She brings her kitten to the front counter, learning that Peter dubbed his kitten Chester, and she decided on Petal for her own.

  
With ease, the adults shrunk their bags down, and took charge of carrying the pets through the floo, which was much easier for Azaria the second time.  
Once they returned to their home, they enlarged everything to sort for each child. While things were being organized and packed into magically –seemingly bottomless— enlarged trunks by the trio, Monty and Effie went out to enjoy the sun while Bobbi cooked dinner.

  
Azaria opened her trunk to start packing once they’d gotten everything organized, and peered inside, expecting a normal trunk when in fact she looked into a pit of darkness. She looked up at James in confusion.

  
“These ones have whole rooms inside, reach your hand in on the ends and feel for the top stair before you try to go in though, that can be painful…” James replied with a grimace. “I’d fallen in on the wrong end last year because I was too excited to check. Mind you it’s only like four stairs down, it still hurt a lot.”

  
Azaria laughed lightly and felt around one end, hand encountering the first stair. She grabbed her stack of defense books and headed to the inside of the trunk.  
On the inside it was cozy, but very large. There were two rooms, one with plenty of shelves and a couple of hooks, the second room closely resembled a walk-in closet. In the first room she picked a shelf at eye level for her defense against the dark arts books. Then she did the same for her Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology and Astronomy texts.

  
She found a place for the supplies for each class well, neatly organizing her potions ingredients, her cauldron and the like. Her telescope for astronomy set down on a wider shelf as well. Then she found a place that had little lined boxes seemingly for quills and inkwells, so she placed them there. Parchment went directly below it.  
With all of that done, she placed all of her wizarding robes into the closet-like space, making the decision to pack all of her muggle clothes and her few pairs of shoes the day before they’d leave, minus the comfy travel clothes she brought. She nearly fell asleep inside her trunk as she finished, if it weren’t for her brother calling for her with dinner ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's chapter 2! One more filler chapter (for things I want Az to know about pre-Hogwarts,) and then off they go!


	3. Chapter 3- the Hogwarts Express

Leading up to their departure to Hogwarts, Azaria spent an excessive amount of time bonding with Petal. When she wasn’t with her brother and James, she’d be playing with her kitten who was living safely within the expanse of her trunk for the time being. Though, she had a carrier ready for the trip to the school.

  
Since arriving at the Potter residence, Azaria had begun to familiarize herself with magic, reading a book of basic spells, and slowly becoming comfortable with the portraits and the house-elves. Bobbi and her had bonded nearly as much as the cat.

  
The night before the departure for the first term, Remus Lupin’s parents dropped him off. Though they were perfectly happy to bring him to Kings Cross themselves, Remus had supposedly pleaded with them until they asked Monty and Effie themselves. Azaria warmed up to him much quicker than she had James, and was rather excited to meet the fourth piece to their group.

  
On that last night in the Potter residence, the four children camped out together within James’ room with the promise to his parents that they would get ample sleep. Of course, they didn’t. The boys couldn’t keep their excitement quiet. Ready to return and see their housemates, learn from the best professors on this side of the world, and to introduce Azaria to the last piece of their puzzle: Sirius. They needed him in order to fully bring her on as a marauder.

  
At one in the morning, nobody was tired. They were talking quietly but animated about the upcoming events, telling Azaria all she needed to know about each house and who to avoid. Azaria made them focus particularly on the Gryffindor common room. Azaria sat doe-eyed as they went over each intricate detail they could remember. From the study tables to the fireplace, the feel of each sofa…

  
They talked about the Fat Lady, and how the passwords she chose every month were hilarious. They talked about the vibrant red and gold in every visible spot of the common room, and the pre-set boards for wizard’s chess.

  
Just when she thought her brother and new friends had run out of details, they started talking about the halls, the stairs, and how one couldn’t possibly get lost because all that had to be done was talk to the portraits to guide the way until the halls were committed to memory.

  
They did, however, have to stop somewhere, as there were details they wanted to share with Sirius present. That and Peter cut them off when he saw Azaria’s building panic. She had tells that only he could see. Their parents couldn’t even see them, though they just thought that their daughter is an overall nervous child.

  
The four children fell asleep around two in the morning, at last, having been calmed by Peter. Remus and James slept away from each other, both under thick blankets and up against the wall on either side of his door. Peter had Azaria curled up against his side.

  
It was a peaceful sleep, until 8:45 when Monty tried for the umpteenth time to wake them up. As a last resort, if only to make sure the kids had enough time to be truly ready to go on time rather than allowing them to sleep in, he used a Sonorous charm and shouted to wake them up at last.

  
There were enough showers in the house that each child could take one at once. Azaria finished first and raced down the stairs to see what Bobbi had made for breakfast. There was peameal bacon, sourdough toast and brown toast, beans, scrambled and over-easy eggs. There was coffee for Monty and Effy, and orange or apple juice for the four children.

  
“Thank you for breakfast,” Azaria spoke quietly to Bobbi as she scurried past the elf. She sat in the seat she’d been using and grinned happily at the Potter adults.

  
The boys made it down moments later, one after the other. Once each was sorted out, food was distributed and the boys were scarfing down each bite, quick enough that Azaria was certain that there was no tasting happening there. She, Effie and Monty savoured each bite, enjoying the combination of flavours.

  
“So dear, did the boys tell you about the houses?” Effie asked as the three normal eaters were nearly halfway done.

  
“They did! I hope the hat puts me with my brother, though if it doesn’t think I will suit Gryffindor, I think Hufflepuff would also be okay.” She took a happy bite of her peameal bacon as she finished speaking.

  
“Hufflepuff is a good house. Well, they’re all good. Effie was a Slytherin herself like we told you before, as the rest of her family has always been, and Potters have always been Gryffindors. Of course, there are always variants, there’s nothing wrong with any of the houses.” Monty stabbed his eggs with a knife, smiling kindly at Azaria as he did so.

  
The boys shared a look at this. They had a different opinion from James’ dad.

  
“I’m sure you’ll be one of us Zar,” Peter said around a mouthful. “Though if you make Hufflepuff I could see it.”

  
Once the boys were finished stuffing their faces, everyone was ushered over to the fireplace. Each student had their trunk in one hand, though Peter and Azaria were the only ones with pet carriers in the other. Petal was happily lying down in hers, while Chester was making quite a loud fuss.

  
Remus went through first. Clearly stating his destination before he vanished in the green flame. Then James. Since the siblings had no hands, Effie threw their powder for them and they went through as well. Monty went through last.

  
On the other side, Azaria was expecting to see the Kings Cross station she was used to. Instead, the place where they came through the floo network was ornately decorated with vibrant metals and masonry in the form of beautiful artwork in the walls. She waited with the boys for Monty and Effie before the group travelled as a whole to the main part of the platform.

  
It was bustling with so much activity that Azaria shrank into herself, choosing to walk in the middle of the group instead of next to Peter as she initially had been. Peter kept an eye on her with the corner of his eye, making sure that she wasn’t going to panic in the crowd.

  
Effie stopped them a few metres from the train.

  
“I hope you all enjoy this year,” she says. Loud enough for them to hear, but not drowning out the cacophony of other families. “Boys, watch over yourselves and Azaria. And Behave. Dear, have fun and listen to your professors. Their every word will be valuable to you.”

  
Monty puts a hand on James’ shoulder, “son, we will send Earl to you in time for breakfast with a couple of things if you missed them and some treats for the group. Send him back with a ‘we’re okay’ note and please tell us where Azaria ends up? Once we receive that we’ll send Earl back for your use until Christmas.”

  
James salutes his dad with a grin and races on board to secure a cabin for him and his friends. Remus and Peter get pats on their heads before they hop on as well, and Azaria gets a hug from Effie as she stared enamoured at the train. Then she dazedly wandered on board, only half looking for her people.

  
Remus grabbed her arm from the side, she’d gone too far, and pulled her in. He helped her get her trunk above the benches, and then she tucked Petal safely below the seat. She settled herself next to the window with Peter next to her, watching the crowd of people as it got impossibly thicker.

  
According to a clock hanging off one of the podiums, it was nearly a quarter to ten, when the Hogwarts Express should be leaving. Somehow, the crowd was still getting thicker as it was also dispersing. The train was set to arrive in Hogsmead by six PM, giving her plenty of time to get a nap in, and more reading.

  
While she was staring at what the boys assumed to be nothing, they were carefully looking at each face as it became visible in their window, hoping to spot Sirius or his awful family.

  
Everyone jumped when the cabin door slid open, breaking them from their watch party. The boys gave off a chorus of hellos, while Azaria studied him.

  
Sirius held himself the same way she expected the queen of England did. His chin was up, and his arm that held his onyx coloured trunk was bent like it weighed nothing. His unoccupied arm was against his side, disappearing behind his back at the elbow.

  
While his posture was royal-esk, his ebony hair was longer, reminding her of the men in bands that her father listened to. Sirius had uncharacteristically pale skin like he hadn’t been properly exposed to sunlight in ages, and though he was smiling brilliantly, his eyes seemed haunted.

  
“Zar,” spoke Peter, breaking her from her analysis, “this is Sirius Black, the fourth and final of our group that we call the Marauders.”

  
She smiled at the new boy and waved. “I’m Azaria, Peter’s sister.”

  
Sirius settled his things and then himself before responding. “Welcome to the group Azaria, you will be in the same year as my brother, Regulus. Though he is off socializing with our mothers’ acquaintances’ children, you may meet him after the train.”

  
As the train lurched into action, the boys put their heads together to speak quietly amongst themselves while Azaria pulled out the novel she’d been reading from within her jacket. Effie had helped her with a deep enough hidden pocket to keep the basic spells book that she’d been working her way through.

  
As enamoured with the pages as Azaria was, she heard enough snippets of conversation to recognize the planning of at least one prank. She let them be, having faith in her brother enough that he would make sure she was kept out of the fire.

  
She laid her head against the cool glass of the window as she read, taking in words about spell accuracy depending on wand movements, and pronunciation. She’d had practice with that while using the floo network, and could only hope that her professors would be as clear as Effie had been, or for the books to list the phonetic alphabet as dictionaries do.

  
She was nearly to the first simple spell in the book when her head drooped, her eyesight blurred, until her eyes were fully closed and she fell asleep for some much-needed catch up time.

  
Peter, James, Remus and Sirius continued to talk, still hushed for her sake, but not nearly as secretive. They’d mapped out their opening prank for the year, to be carried out in the morning. They’d caught up on Sirius’ unfortunate Summer, though for their sanity and peace of mind Sirius made sure to use very little detail. Though it was not unusual for him, he knew his friends would not understand his family and what they do.

  
What they did know, was that Sirius deserved none of it and that he wanted desperately to be the opposite of what his family was. If he were to tell any of the boys the whole truth, he’d choose Remus. Though Remus came from a loving family, he was tortured a couple of days a month by forced lycanthropy from a young age.

  
Remus’ lycanthropy was a hindrance for his fathers’ politics, or so his father said. So overnight on full moons, Remus was hidden away, chained to the cement in their basement. Remus had not divulged that to anyone but Sirius. As far as Peter and James knew, he was locked within a magically warded room where he was safe.

  
Sirius and Remus left out a lot of detail when it came to their personal lives, even if they shared a slight bit more with each other. They both felt as though the two in their group who knew nothing but love would not understand them. Azaria was a mystery on that front. They both assumed she knew the same love as Peter, though Remus had begun to see the edges of at least a slight difference to the life that Peter knew.

  
Azaria woke as the boys fell asleep. She tucked away her book and got up in search of a bathroom. Out of their cabin, the hall was much quieter than it had been when everyone was boarding. A few older students were traversing the train car, and a few lengths down she spotted a plump woman with a snack trolley.

  
She looked to the left and right a few times, taking in the detail and hoping to spot a sign for bathrooms. Without one, she turned left, under the impression she would find one eventually. She did, and she waited only a moment until a kind expressioned girl with green eyes and red hair emerged.

  
They grinned at each other, giving a nod before the girl went around Azaria, and Azaria took care of her business.

  
She left the bathroom, feeling disoriented to the way she should walk. Looking right, the girl was stood chatting with one of the older students who she saw before.

  
“Come this way!” came the honey-like voice of the mystery girl.

  
Azaria walked up, not sure what to say back.

  
“You looked a little lost. Do you know what cabin you were sitting in? Or who were you with. I might know them.” The girl smiled kindly, offering a hand.

  
Unsure of whether this was a wizard’s gesture or a handshake, Azaria hesitated. And with that hesitation, she hesitated some more. Now that she’d waited, it would be awkward if she took the girl’s hand and shook it whether she was a muggle-born or a witch who grew up with magic.

  
The redhead could sense the uncertainty, and kept her hand there, “my name is Lily Evans, I’m a second-year Gryffindor and a muggle-born, just like I’m sure you are.”

  
Azaria let out a breath that she hadn’t known she’d been holding and took Lily’s hand after one last beat. “I’m Azaria Pettigrew. You guessed right, I’m muggle-born. Uh, I was sitting with my brother Peter and his friends.”

  
Lily made a face, as she let go of Azaria’s hand. “Oh dear, of course, them. Listen, even if you make Gryffindor with your brother, I strongly recommend opting out of their friendship. They’re tyrants, bullies and completely mean spirited. Seemingly especially to me and my best friend.”

  
Lily turned and started walking, Azaria instinctively following close behind her.

  
“Why’s that?” asked Azaria.

  
“Apparently Slytherin is a bad house. I don’t think so, my best friend of a few years made Slytherin last year. So I get bullied for being friends with him. Those boys go around the school trying to harm Slytherin people, claiming it all to be pranks but…. They aren’t. I know it.”

  
Azaria considered this for a long time as they walked. She knew some of the pranks that her brother and his friends pulled last year, thanks to his letters to her. From what she could remember, there was nothing that specifically targeted anyone. Groups yes and sometimes the whole school but never individual people.

  
“I’ll talk to them I think. I stayed with James leading up to today, and he’s been nothing but fantastic to me. Though I only just met Sirius, and Remus not too long ago either… I want to hear what they say too you know Lily?”

  
Lily paused as she came upon the cabin that had Azaria’s sleeping brother and his friends, “I understand. Though I would like to be friends with you if you don’t participate in what they do that is.”

  
With a flourish that seemed to only belong to Lily, she turned and continued down the train corridor before stepping out of Azaria’s line of sight and into her cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She's nearly there! Azaria and her story will soon kick off at Hogwarts. A few more OCs will be introduced, as all the characters I know from the marauders era will be in their year instead of hers. Other than Regulus. Since I've lost all motivation to do anything else, you may see two or three, maybe four chapters between now and September.  
> Off to do some research! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Updates will be slow as I am a busy as heck person, but eventually I will finish year one, move on to year two in a separate fic, yada yada. I'll probably work on this when I exhaust all efforts on my lecturework, and am not at work work. Please note! There are no warnings on this fic, as my main character is eleven! There may be some things that will need a warning of some kind, but if there is, YOU WILL BE WARNED BEFOREHAND I PROMISE<3\. Of course as each year comes out, warnings will be added. In the year two fic I might run it the same way, but as my main gets older and Voldetwit gets more involved, that will change.  
> Thanks! and have a great however long period of time i have between updates.  
> Anyways it's one am and I work in Five and a half hours so NIIIIIIIIGHT


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